


Movies

by diggyko



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M, Sappy, Vignette, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-02
Updated: 2015-04-07
Packaged: 2018-03-20 20:42:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3664272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/diggyko/pseuds/diggyko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chanyeol tries to impress Jongin with his expansive knowledge of romance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Flowers and Lollipops

It’s on a harsh, windy April night that Chanyeol realizes he absolutely hates rain.

He grips his bouquet of flowers and lollipops tightly as a blustering wave of wind hits him. He sneezes so hard he feels his brain get knocked out of place. He wants to go home.

The light of his phone screen stings his eyes as he checks his inbox.

 

* * *

`4:46PM  
hey! will u be home later tonight?  
` `Read ✓`

`4:49PM`  
`I think so, why?  
`

`9:24PM  
come outside!! :-)))))))`

* * *

 

The ticking analog clock on his home screen tells him he’s been standing in the unforgiving rain for over an hour. He gives up and heads home.


	2. Bracelets and Sandwiches

 

Chanyeol quickly starts awake with the help of his phone blaring the Pokémon theme song at him. For a minute, he’s annoyed before he remembers that he was having the weirdest dream he could have possibly imagined. He was.. racing in a go-kart? But the go-kart kept plunging straight through huge piles of leaves? And the pollens and nature shit from the leaves was making him sniffly and sneezy and miserable. He can still feel weirdness in his nose. The notification saved him, truly.

 

* * *

`✿ Jongiiiiiin ✿`  
`8:41AM  
Yeollie`

* * *

  

His heart falls straight to his stomach. He isn’t sure if it was a good or a bad kind of drop. He doesn't know what to expect here.

 

* * *

 `8:41AM  
``Yeollie`

`8:43AM `  
` heyyyyy morning sunshine  
Read ✓`

* * *

 

Wait a minute.

Memories of last night’s failed labor of love cause Chanyeol’s heart to fall from his stomach straight to his ass. “God dammit,” he mutters, letting himself fall backwards onto his bed. “God _fucking_ dammit.” His phone chirps at him.

 

* * *

`8:44AM  
What was up with you yesterday? I fell asleep hella early haha you know I go for jogs in the mornings`

* * *

 

Chanyeol’s hand meet his forehead with an audible smack. He _did_ know that Jongin runs in the mornings. Of course he wouldn’t be awake at 9:30 at night. Why the fuck didn’t he remember this when it was actually important?

 

* * *

`8:50AM `  
`im sorry dude!!! i brought my sister’s dog over i thought maybe youd wanna meet him, totally forgot u work on a grandpa schedule :-P  
` `Read ✓`

`8:51AM  
` `Aww come earlier next time!`

* * *

He sighs, and allows himself a few minutes to settle before mustering up all the willpower possible to get himself out of bed. He drags himself to the bathroom with an annoying weight on his shoulders. He feels like shit. It hurts him to have to lie to Jongin, even if it was over something silly. His reflection in the mirror is out of sorts and completely unrelenting. He sets his phone down on the counter to wash his face.

 

* * *

 

`8:55AM  
I miss you`

`8:56AM `  
`i miss you too, do you wanna have lunch or smth today?  
Read ✓`

`8:57AM  
That sounds really good :) Have a place in mind?`

`8:59AM `  
` hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm how about my house? ill MAKE us lunch :-)) noon?  
Read ✓ `

`9:00AM  
` `I’ll be there!`

* * *

In what may be the quickest bounce-back ever, Chanyeol shines. He pats his dripping face down and bolts to his car to shop for groceries. In his pajamas.

The following two hours are a blur for him. Somehow, in some way, by some means, there are multiple sandwiches of multiple fixings and flavors neatly arranged on Chanyeol’s kitchen counter. There are cute limited edition Mickey Mouse tumblers ready for incoming lemonade. There are chips for days in the most colorful bowl he could find. He was proud. This turned out to be the pinnacle of summertime lunches.

 

* * *

`11:12AM`  
`bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha  
Read ✓`

`11:14AM  
What?`

`11:15AM`  
`youre gonna be blown the fuck away by this gorgeous meal my dude  
Read ✓`

`11:16AM`  
`Modest as always! I'm on my way now :)`

`11:18AM`  
`front doors unlocked come on in if i dont hear the doorbell over the soud of my shining brilliance  
Read ✓`

`11:19AM  
Ohhhh shut up hahaha I can’t wait, I’m starving`

* * *

In the sandwich Chanyeol predicted would be Jongin’s favorite—a classic turkey, avocado, and cheese—sat an unimposing bracelet with a loving heart engraved in a flat charm. He’d seen a scene much like the one in his head play out plenty of times with plenty of couples in plenty of different foods: cupcakes, breads, salads, even soups… Surely something comprised of layers, like a sandwich, would make Chanyeol’s plan run smoothly. He was giddy with anticipation.

“I feel like it’s been ages since I last saw you,” Jongin says with a relieved exhale. He had walked to Chanyeol’s house.

“If I had known you were walking I would have given you a ride!” He huffs.

“I couldn’t ask you to come get me! You’re already doing so much…” He trails off as he eyes the food on the counter. “Wow, Chanyeol.”

“Right?!”

“I’m impressed!”

Chanyeol bows, arms presenting him to the start of the buffet: bright red paper plates and flatware. “Please help yourself, Prince Jongin.” He looks up to meet Jongin’s gaze and winks playfully.

As he proceeds toward the counter, Jongin gives his shoulder a light and loving punch. His smile, bright and wide as can be, is rivaled by nothing. In this moment, Chanyeol feels positively overwhelmed.

He only wished it had lasted longer.

When the time came for the big moment, Jongin opted for the sandwich he was predicted to, but Chanyeol’s effort was all for naught: he wasn’t hungry enough to finish the whole thing, and completely missed the bracelet.

Chanyeol fights off nerves for the next few hours. Despite the missed opportunity, Jongin’s company is radiant as always, and he is happy with that in itself.

As the sun sets, Jongin decides it’s time to go home. Chanyeol discovers a sliver of hope.

“Wanna take your sandwich to eat later?”

“No worries. I have a hard time eating the same thing twice in a row… I wouldn’t want it to go bad. Will you finish it for me?”

Chanyeol clenches his fist. _Damn it._ “Sure thing.” He rises above his defeat to give Jongin a smile.

“I don’t wanna wait another few weeks to hang out, okay? Invite me over again soon.”

“I will.”

“I mean it.”

“I do, too! Let’s catch up on all this Mario Kart DLC we’ve been missing. Saturday?” Without realizing it until now, Chanyeol is still thinking about the go-karts from his dream in the morning.

“Sounds perfect.” Jongin’s voice flutters. _Like a gentle breeze or some shit_ , Chanyeol thinks to himself. He nearly curses himself for being so sappy, but he finds himself appreciating it instead. Jongin is special. He deserves Chanyeol constantly waxing poetic about him, surely. Nothing means more to Chanyeol than this.

Immediately following their goodbyes, Chanyeol cleans the kitchen until it's unbelievably spotless. He refuses to look at Jongin’s half-eaten sandwich until the rest of the counter is taken care of. When he finally has to face it, he hesitates. After what felt like years of strife, he steels himself, opens the sandwich up and retrieves the bracelet. 

He promptly throws it in the trash.


	3. Paychecks and Dragons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a passing mention of alcohol in this chapter. Please read carefully if that's triggering for you!

Chanyeol marvels at the paycheck inbetween his fingers.

 

“Jongin,” he calls out. Excitement bolsters his voice. “Come here.”

 

Out from the living room comes a sleepy Jongin, yawning and rubbing his eyes like he’s from a cartoon or something. He had most definitely been stirred from a nap. “What?”

 

“Look.” Chanyeol holds his paycheck in front of Jongin’s tired eyes. “I kicked ass this month.”

 

“That’s impressive, Chanyeol.” He smiles. “Good job.”

 

Chanyeol grins his biggest and clumsiest grin in return. “Let’s blow it.”

 

“Let’s not. It’s important for you to save.”

 

“Let’s blow most of it.”

 

“Chanyeol.”

 

“Okay. Let’s blow a quarter of it.”

 

“Fine.”

 

“You know what I saw on my way home?”

 

“What?”

 

“The carnival setting up.”

 

Jongin’s eyes light up like Chanyeol had never seen.

 

“Let’s go.”

 

❀❀❀

 

The illustrious carnival is particularly empty for its first night. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea to open up shop on a Wednesday. Nonetheless, Chanyeol and Jongin are enjoying everything the establishment has to offer.

 

“Yeollie,” Jongin gushed as he points to a games booth. “Look at that big dragon.”

 

“I’ve never seen anything more beautiful in my life.”

 

“You see the game, though?” He motions toward the balloons tacked to the wall behind the counter. “That is so hard to win. It’s unfair.”

 

Determination sweeps over Chanyeol’s features as they approach the booth. “I’ll do it.”

 

“It’s okay, you don’t have to waste your time…”

 

“No, no. I’ll do it.”

 

The guy running the booth leans forward. “Do you want a game, loverboy?” He smirks. His unbelievable smarm drives Chanyeol nuts. “Three darts for a dollar.”

 

“You bet I do.” He fishes through his wallet before slamming twenty dollars down on the counter. “Give me as many games as this can buy.” His serious aura exchanges for a sweet one as he turns to Jongin. “Could you get me a Coke? Maybe some nachos? This might take a while.” Jongin sets off to the nearest food court, feeling both proud and terrified of Chanyeol’s confidence.

 

Somehow, an hour manages to pass. So does another twenty dollars. Chanyeol feels the muscle in his shoulder ache as he stretches it out. He must’ve pulled it or something. Jongin stares on, unabashedly entertained and flattered by his efforts.

 

As Chanyeol opens his wallet to earn another fifteen or sixteen or whatever the fuck it is games, he learns it’s empty. He swears he sees it coughs out a cloud of dust. “Shit.”

 

Jongin frets. “Something wrong?”

 

“Money…”

 

He walks up to Chanyeol to see inside his wallet. “Oh.”

 

“Better luck next time.” The smug booth-runner waves his hand before brandishing a flask from inside his jacket pocket. He unabashedly takes a swig of whatever’s inside.

 

Chanyeol stares at him for a minute, then at the dragon floating condescendingly above his head. He wishes it would fall on him and knock him out. Or at least make him mad. He finds himself unable to leave the booth until Jongin nudges his arm. “Let’s go, Chanyeol.”

 

“Later days, dude.” Chanyeol makes an audible gagging noise in his direction before scurrying off behind Jongin.

 

They find themselves sitting comfortably at a shoddy picnic table, snacking on a cinnamon roll together. Chanyeol thoughtlessly pokes the roll with his fork. “I have no idea how we’re gonna get home. It’s so dark now. I was gonna call a cab, but.. the money… And that dragon… And that dumbass guy…”

 

“It’s okay, Chanyeol.” Jongin’s voice is soft and sweet, as always. Like honey. He kicks Chanyeol under the table, and he manages to relax. “It’s just a silly carnival toy at a silly carnival hanging over a silly, rigged-to-lose game. We’ll walk home together. Don’t worry.”

 

As the carnival announces its last thirty minutes of operation for the night, Chanyeol and Jongin start to walk toward the exit. Chanyeol seemed preoccupied with something, and Jongin knew. He always knew.

 

“Are you still thinking about the dragon?”

 

“I really wanted to win that for you.”

 

“I know. But it’s okay. I had a great time tonight, dragon or not.” He pauses. “Thank you for taking me. And for trying to win the game in the first place.”

 

Chanyeol seems genuinely taken aback by his gratitude. He blinks before responding. “You’re welcome.”

  
Jongin reaches out for his hand and locked their fingers together. Chanyeol smiles wide. He is nothing short of jubilant.


End file.
